Freshman utility player Mua Williams has made an immediate impact for Georgia softball. The Hawaii native has started 45 of 46 games this season and crushed four homers, as well as driving in 20 runs and maintaining a .231 batting average.
As she finishes her first year in Athens, Williams says she is not only growing on the field but learning the importance of family, connection and soaking in every moment with her teammates.
Q: How do you balance softball, mental health and social life?
A: I kind of just really take time to myself when I have the time to … My family is the main reason why I’m still doing what I’m doing here, and so I feel like that’s what’s been helping me balance it a lot too. Georgia is also a really good school … we have opportunities for us if we’re going through mental health issues, we have people to talk to.
Q: How have you adapted to being so far from home?
A: Just being around this group of girls and the coaches has really helped me adapt well to Georgia. Because everything here is different, the time is different, the environment, everything is different here. So just kind of finding the right people to fit in with is really good. And this is the right place for me. I love it here.
Q: How and why did you make the decision to come to Georgia?
A: I knew one of the coaches already, so it was nice to know a familiar face. But then I started meeting the other coaches and the girls that took me around campus too. They were really awesome, just girls that I really looked forward to playing with. And then also another part of that, or another part of me committing here, was being in the SEC because it’s a really big conference, and I really wanted a good competition, and it’s definitely been to my expectations.
Q: What lessons have you learned freshman year that have shaped your perspective?
A: I’d say definitely, not really identifying myself in the sport. I feel like growing up I always thought I’m really nothing without the sport and I really cannot do anything without the sport. But just being around these girls helped me realize that’s really not it. It’s just the fact of enjoying where you are with the people, that’s what’s really helped me.
Q: What goals did you set coming into the season and have you reached them?
A: As a freshman, I did accomplish some goals, and one of them was being a starter. It’s really something that you can’t take for granted, because your position could go just like that. So that’s really a goal that I’ve accomplished, but also a personal goal outside of softball, just learning how to adapt individually as far as being so far away from home and from my family. I feel like I’ve grown a lot and that was the biggest goal for me, and that’s also the reason why I chose this school, because I wanted to grow and work on myself, independently, without my family, and see how that goes. And I still have a lot more goals that I want to accomplish throughout these years, but that’s just something that I’ve accomplished so far.
Q: What are you keeping in mind for finishing up the regular season and going into the SEC tournament?
A: Just really sticking together. Really sticking together is what’s gonna make us successful in the SEC, and I feel like this team’s really good at that, but we just need a little bit more experience. So just sticking together, finishing up this last series together before we get into the SEC.
Q: What’s something head coach Tony Baldwin has emphasized this season?
A: Just sticking together. And also that the outcomes don’t really matter. Obviously they do matter, but as long as you’re in the process of having fun with the people that you’re doing this outcome with, then that’s all that matters.
Q: What tips would you give to incoming student athletes to keep them in balance and play to their best ability?
A: Well, I definitely say just stay connected with God, because college can get really tough. Sometimes you might find yourself getting a little lost in everything that’s happening. And so just staying with God, keep praying and just trusting your hard work and that it’ll all pay off. And also just remembering why you’re playing the sport and why you came into college to play the sport. Because personally, there are a couple of times where I had moments where I was like why am I here? And then just a quick phone call back to my family made me realize this is why I’m here. This is why I love to do what I do.
Q: What is something you would tell athletes coming in from different states or countries?
A: Definitely keeping in touch with your family. In the fall, I wasn’t really keeping in touch with them. I wouldn’t really text them as much. But then as things started happening and the season started going, I was like, oh, I need my family. So just staying in touch with them, but then also just remembering to be where your feet are at, just surround yourself with good people and just have fun.
Kate Simpson is a student in the undergraduate certificate program in the Carmical Sports Media Institute at the University of Georgia.
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